Reuters
London, August 30: Dusan Tadic’s brace gave Southampton’s stuttering Premier League campaign lift-off with a comfortable 3-0 victory over promoted Norwich City at St Mary’s Sunday.
After Graziano Pelle poked Southampton ahead in the 45th minute Tadic took over with an impressive display, scoring quick-fire goals midway through the second half to give the south-coast club their first victory of the season.
Norwich defender Steven Whittaker was dismissed having received two yellow cards within four first-half minutes for professional fouls.
The surprise packages of last season having finished seventh, Southampton had been out-of-sorts, taking just two points from three games and failing to score since the opening day.
Sunday’s first half was a microcosm of Southampton’s season, plenty of possession and chances but a lack of killer instinct in front of goal.
James Ward-Prowse, Fonte, Pelle and the impressive Sadio Mane all went close in a dominant yet fruitless opening 20 minutes for the hosts.
Norwich’s Whittaker was dismissal with a block on Matt Targett followed 187 seconds later by a tug on the shirt of Tadic.
The hosts took advantage of their numerical advantage with Pelle beating Russel Martin to convert Mane’s cross just before halftime.
Jay Rodriguez, still making his way back from a long-term knee injury, was brought on after the break and was lively throughout, forcing John Ruddy into a number of saves.
Mane again was the catalyst and crossed for Tadic to lash home his first in the 64th minute before the Serbian converted from close range two minutes later after Ruddy had parried Pelle’s header.
